Runoff election winners outline goals

Some new people will serve on the New Orleans City Council and at the coroner's office.

A familiar name will also run the city jail.

Saturday's runoff election resulted in two new members on the City Council who will replace what's been called well-established political machines.

"It's clear the city wanted something different. We wanted a new direction of leadership, a new generation of leadership," City Councilman-elect Jason Williams said. "I think that vision started to spread during the runoff process."

Williams is a criminal defense attorney and defeated New Orleans City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell in the race for the at-large Division 2 seat.

Hedge-Morrell was term-limited out of her District D seat.

Williams garnered 68 percent of the vote to Hedge-Morrell's 32 percent. He outlined his vision of a safer city, higher quality of life and quality workforce training.

"Tourism is great. Hospitality is great, but it is not a place that we should be pushing young people to. We need to push them to real opportunities that could actually change their status in life, workforce training, coordinating workforce training for good paying jobs that are going to be coming along during this economic boom in this city and in this region," Williams said.

"I think it says so much about the needs of our citizens that they wanted change, they wanted to hear new ideas, they wanted to see energy," former civil court Judge Nadine Ramsey said.

Ramsey defeated longtime elected official Jackie Clarkson by a 59 to 41 percent margin.

Ramsey will represent District C, which includes Algiers, the French Quarter, Marigny, Bywater and Treme.

Ramsey promises to deliver change and results, and to tackle the problems that everyday people face and include them in the process.

"It's very easy to believe that all is well, but there are families and business with day-to-day struggles," Ramsey said.

Ramsey said the new one-way ferry fare of $2 hurts businesses, and she said taxi cab regulations cost drivers money. She also plans to tackle street repairs and blight.

"I think people looked at what we've been doing, and they made a decision that we can't go back and that we have to continue to move forward," Sheriff Marlin Gusman said. "They looked at the progress we're making, the plans for the future, and they embraced it."

Gusman, the only incumbent on Saturday's ballot, was re-elected overwhelmingly over former Sheriff Charles Foti.

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